Charlie
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree; unless it rolls down the hill...
Chapter 9
Everyday and every night, is this love? Is this love? Is this love? Is this love that I'm feeling?
The song sounded very intrusive to a point it was beginning to make me uncomfortable.
"You look different," Harper said looking at me funnily.
I definitely could not tell him what I had gotten up to, or rather, down to.
"My mom had said something like I'd gained some weight or something," I said trying to sneak past him mentally.
"No. It's something else," he said moving his stool along the drawing light table. "It's not really a physical thing," he finished extracting a 2B pencil from its perch above his right ear.
"I don't know what it could be," I replied as nonchalantly as I could.
"So, how are you taking this 'Harper dating Julie' thing?" He asked not looking up from his sketching.
"You're a great guy, and anyone dating you would have a great catch. I guess an erroneously concluded relationship with you isn't such a bad thing."
Our peculiar three-sum had managed to draw some attention and people had concluded in typical Easton fashion that: "being seen together = dating." Jules didn't agree or deny dating Harp, and so everyone assumed they were together.
"How so?" He asked finally looking up and tapping his pencil against the table.
"Like I said, you're a great guy."
"Meaning you wouldn't mind dating me?"
I thought about it for a minute.
"I don't think I would in a different life, under different circumstances. Maybe we'd be good together."
It was true, I mean, the guy is my bestfriend and knows almost everything about me. I was comfortable about things with him, and honestly I'd prefer being in love with someone who I already loved and cared for; a relationship that transitioned, rather than just abruptly started.
"Hey," Jules said placing a peck on my cheek before turning to Harper. "Hey, watchu working on?" She asked sitting next to me watching like a spectator.
"Just stuff," Harper returned shading something on the paper he was drawing on.
"Can we go for lunch?" Jules asked pulling her hair into a pony tail.
"Harp, are you coming?" I asked standing up.
"No, you guys go, I'll grab something later."
I saw Jules smile quickly at the prospect of having lunch together alone.
As soon as we had left the art room she whispered to me. "I swear Harper doesn't like me! I've been trying to warm up to him, but he just doesn't care."
For once I completely didn't know what to say and just shrugged.
"Come on, he's real close to you; you must know something," she said unconvinced.
"He just doesn't like popular people," I said stating something that was actually a fact.
"Popular like his brother?" Jules countered.
"What's that supposed to mean? He's not jealous if that's what you mean," I said defending Harp.
"I don't know everything, and I don't know him that well; but I'm not wrong when I say he's unfriendly towards me."
"I'll talk to him about it later," I said signaling that we should hurry up.
The only advantage of the misconceived relationship was that as Harper's best friend; it wasn't abnormal for me to hang out with his 'girlfriend'.
"I need help with trig," she said giving me a pleading look.
Ok, Julie wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, but at least she was great with arts and was trained in classical music.
"It's cool, just pick a day and we'll make you trig-efficient. I was wondering if we could go out to this small British restaurant I know," I asked just as we reached the food counters.
"Sure, I can already see a flag with the three Sea Lions and tea kettles," she said laughing freely.
If not for how things were, I swear I would have kissed her right there and then. There were some moments when I felt completely overwhelmed by her, and like I could drown in her.
"Yum! The sausage roll today is perfect," Jules said tearing crumbling bits from it. "Do you want some?" She asked holding a piece out for me.
I wanted to lean forward and take it from her fingers with my mouth, but of course I couldn't.
I took the bit and popped it into my mouth. It tasted good, but not as good as my chicken sandwich.
"Where do you plan on going for college?" She asked taking a sip of soda.
"Far away?"
"Why far away?"
"I don't feel like small-town-living anymore, and besides, if you want we can go to the same college," I said hoping that that would come true and we could have our own place...
"Yeah, we would always be together and maybe get hitched," she said suddenly turning serious. "Do you think that could ever happen?"
"Why not?"
"I don't know," she said exhaling soundly.
"We might be different Jules, but that doesn't mean we don't deserve good things," I said sliding my hand over hers. "I love you."
They were just three simple words, but from the look on Jules' face; I might as well have given her the stars.
